BJP still undecided on Mayor choice

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 13

The selection of the candidate for the Mayor’s post has once again posed a big challenge for the city BJP as councillors expressed divergent views before in-charge of the party affairs in the city Prabhat Jha, who held a one-on-one meeting with them to seek their views regarding possible candidates.

Jha, along with Sanjay Tandon, city BJP president, and Kirron Kher, MP, spent over three hours at the party office in Sector 33 today and asked the councillors about their choice from among the four councillors eligible for the post — Bharat Kumar, Rajesh Kalia, Satish Kainth and Farmila.

Satya Pal Jain, a former MP and senior leader of the party, was not invited to the meeting, which gave an indication of a “new alignment” in the party.

Sources said while there was unanimity in the Kher and Tandon groups on the name of Rajesh Kalia, many councillors expressed their views in favour of Satish Kainth and Bharat Kumar. Having witnessed a revolt from councillors last year after the announcement of the  candidate for the Mayor’s post,  the  party has adopted a cautious approach this time.

The  party  in-charge  has met all councillors before  the  announcement so that no one can complain of not being taken in the loop.

Asked, Satya Pal Jain said how  could he attend the  meeting   when he  was  not  invited. Jha  said  the views  of all councillors had been received  and these would be conveyed  to the  party high command and a final  announcement  would be   made tomorrow  after having a discussion with top leaders of the  party  in Delhi. The sources no unanimity had also been reached  on the candidates for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor  and  Deputy Mayor. 

The BJP has 20 of the 26 seats in the MC House. While the Congress has four votes, the SAD has one. Besides, there is one Independent councillor. The Congress has only  one contender — Sheela Devi — for the post. 

Mayor, councillor raise objections     

Sources  said  Mayor  Davesh  Moudgil and  councillor  Anil Dubey had raised their  objections when  Jha  was seeking the views   of the councillors. Moudgil and Dubey requested  Jha  to listen  to them  individually without  the  presence  of other senior  leaders.  Jha  was  accompanied  by  Kher and Tandon  when  the views  were  sought from the  councillors  regarding  the possible candidates.

Satya Pal Jain not invited

Satya Pal Jain, a former MP and senior leader of the party, was not invited to the meeting, which gave an indication of a “new alignment” in the party. Asked, Satya Pal Jain said how could he attend the meeting when he was not invited.